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Herby, garlicky, spice-rubbed Peruvian-inspired chicken is roasted until golden and paired with a vibrant, creamy green sauce. An easy, crowd-pleasing dinner that’s ideal for weeknights or casual entertaining.
January can sometimes feel like a quiet, colorless month. We’re deep in winter, the days are short, and sunshine feels limited. But I actually love this time of year because it’s when I shift from cozy holiday recipes to dishes that are still comforting — just a little more vibrant and nourishing.
Right now, I’m feeling so inspired to cook with fresh herbs, colorful fruits and vegetables, and lots of warming spices. That midwinter shift always sparks new creativity and feels refreshing in the best way.
Last week, I created this herby, garlicky, Peruvian-inspired chicken after my brother mentioned the idea of a chicken bowl with a creamy green sauce. I immediately loved the sound of it.
I tossed mixed chicken pieces with garlic, herbs, and spices, then roasted them until tender and juicy. While the chicken cooked, I whipped up the sauce, cooked a pot of rice, and chopped fresh mango and avocado.
Everything came together quickly, and the end result was colorful, cozy, and deeply flavorful. It’s satisfying, great for meal prep, and somehow even better the next day.
These are the details
Ingredients – for the chicken
- chicken thighs or breast – I use boneless
- olive oil or melted butter
- garlic cloves
- jalapeño
- ground cumin
- smoked paprika
- salt and pepper
- cilantro and parsley
- mango, chopped
- avocado, chopped
Ingredients – for the creamy green sauce
- mayo
- plain Greek yogurt
- fresh cilantro
- fresh parsley
- jalapeños
- garlic cloves
- lime juice
- toasted sesame oil
What you need in the kitchen
I use a casserole dish to bake the chicken. You’ll also need a blender or food processor to make the creamy sauce. Aside from that, a cutting board, knife, and some utensils are all you need!
The Steps
Step 1: Prepare the chicken
In a baking dish, toss together the chicken pieces. I like to use a mix of chicken thighs and chicken breasts. Add olive oil, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, and a chopped jalapeño. Finish with equal amounts of chopped cilantro and parsley.
If cilantro isn’t your thing, use parsley only, or swap in parsley and basil instead.
Step 2: Bake the chicken
Bake the chicken for about 25 minutes. I use a casserole-style baking dish so the chicken can cook gently in the oil without drying out.
Once the chicken is tender and lightly crisping around the edges, remove it from the oven.
Step 3: Make the sauce
Add all of the sauce ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. I use a mix of yogurt and mayo along with cilantro, lime juice, and sea salt.
Step 4: Serve
Serve the chicken and sauce over rice. Top with mango and avocado, or use fresh pineapple instead. Both fruits are common in Peruvian cooking and pair beautifully with the fresh, spicy flavors.
Altogether, this takes less than an hour — closer to 40 minutes, depending on your pace.
We’ve made this a few times over the past week, and we all agree the sauce is what really makes the bowl. So good!
Looking for other busy weeknight recipes? Try these!
One Skillet Saucy Chicken Tortilla Enchilada Rice Bake
Crockpot Crispy Chicken Tinga Tacos with Avocado Jalapeño Crema
Sheet Pan Honey Mustard Salmon with Caesar Roasted Potatoes
One Skillet Cheesy Green Chile Chicken
Lastly, if you make this Peruvian Chicken with Creamy Green Sauce, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love hearing from you guys and always do my best to respond to every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Peruvian Chicken with Creamy Green Sauce
Ingredients
- 6-8 chicken thighs or breasts
- 1/3 cup olive oil or melted butter
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 jalapeño, seeded if desired and chopped
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and/or parsley
- 1 mango, chopped
- 1 avocado, chopped
Creamy Green Herb Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley
- 2 jalapeños, seeded if desired
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 425°F.2. In a casserole dish, toss together the chicken, olive oil or butter, garlic, jalapeño, smoked paprika, cumin, cilantro, and parsley - season with salt and pepper. If time allows, marinate 1 hour or overnight in the fridge. 3. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and begins to crisp. 4. To make the sauce, combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Season to taste with salt.5. Serve the chicken over bowls of rice with creamy sauce, mango, and avocado chunks. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Absolutely delicious and it was great as leftovers (I typically don’t like leftovers). The sauce is a MUST and I will be making it to go with all of my Mexican-themed meals.
Hey Fontayne,
Awesome!! Thanks a lot for making this recipe and your notes, so glad it was enjoyed!
Have a great Sunday!☃️
What could I use in place of the mayo?
Hi Kyle,
You could use greek yogurt in place of the mayo. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try!
This was fabulous! My entire family loved it, especially that sauce! It was a perfect meal in a bowl! We will keep this recipe on repeat.
Thanks so much!! So glad you enjoyed this dish, I appreciate you making it! Happy Friday!
Sauce just seemed like salad dressing. it was great on my salad the next day
Thanks so much, Mary! Glad you enjoyed the sauce and thanks for trying the recipe!
Awesome sauce!!! I swapped the mayo for silken tofu and the sesame oil for olive oil and I had a healthy sauce to use on ‘everthying’ during the week. So good!
Hey Alicia,
Perfect! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and sharing what worked well for you!
Wow! My family devoured this. I used 8 large bone-in thighs and decided to double the marinade. Marinated overnight and cooked longer because of the size and bones. This is truly a keeper, and so easy! Thank you, Tieghan!
Thanks so much, Emily! Love to hear this recipe was enjoyed by your family! I appreciate you giving it a try!
I made this today and it was absolutely scrumptious. The chicken just melted in my mouth. The flavor profile was amazing. Thank you so much!
Hey Kathi,
Fantastic! Thanks for trying this recipe, I’m so glad to hear you liked it!
Holy delicious, Tieghan!!! An avid follower (and participant at the Charlotte book signing!!)…..this might just be my new favorite! 🤩 Keep ‘em coming, you rock star!
Thanks so much, Susan:) So glad you enjoyed this recipe and thanks for your kind message!!
Made this tonight and it was delicious! Bonus points that my toddler also ate it 10/10! Came together fairly quickly for a weeknight! Might try to marinade overnight next time to make it even quicker for a week night dinner. The sauce is delicious although I have a lot leftover and would maybe half it next time.
Hey Amanda,
I’m grateful you tried this recipe and took the time to comment. Delighted it turned out!
Very delicious and really didn’t take long at all. Seasoning it right in the pan made it very easy! I used pineapple and it was so good. Thank you!
Thanks so much, Leigh! I appreciate you making this recipe, I’m so glad to hear it was enjoyed!
I wanted to love this, but it was just “ok”. I made it exactly as the recipe stated and it tasted like something was missing that I couldn’t put my finger on. The chicken also did not crisp up in the casserole dish- all the juices were covering the chicken and made it too wet to crisp. I think a sheet pan would have been better, but I won’t be making it again to find out.
Hi Mandy,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, sorry to hear it was not enjoyed!
Another recipe that will be a regular in my house. I am loving the savory, spicy sweet and creamy vibes of this dish. All the ingredients layer and compliments each other. I absolutely loved this dish!
Hey Adriana,
I’m grateful you tried this recipe and took the time to comment. Delighted it turned out!
Hi Tieghan,
I am making this recipe for the first time & just wanted to clarify- do you use boneless, skinless chicken?
Thank you,
Kristen
Hi Kristen,
Yes, that is correct:) I hope you love this dish, let me know how it turns out for you!
Thanks for your reply, Tieghan. I am making this tomorrow night for my besties…can’t wait to try it!
We really enjoyed this! Good flavors on the chicken – vibrant and fresh! I’ll make again for sure, but may use olive oil instead of sesame oil in the green sauce. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Hey Patty,
Awesome! I appreciate you making this recipe, so glad to hear it was a hit! Thanks for your comment!
Delicious! Made it just like the recipe is written and my husband and I loved it. I paired it with Corn Risotto (keeping with Peruvian theme (corn). I’ve been following you for years but this is the first of your recipes I’ve made, definitely won’t be the last.
Love this idea! Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed:) Thanks Patti!